CT OF 1992 |
. KENNEDY ASSASSINATION RECORDS A
‘\704-10326-10076| [2025 RELEASE UNDER THE PRESIDENT JOHN F. KE

SECRET

MHENG : 98-0480597

STAFF

ACTION: IMS/ESG (021) INFO: CIC/CEG, CIC/CEGEUR,
DC/EUR, DO/IRO, EUR/DCCI, EUR/SG, EUR/SGF,

LA/LGL, LIMITED, MDSX, ODPD, ORMS/EUR, FILE
CIC/EUR (7/W)

CIC/LA, CIC/OG, CIC/PRC,
IMDORECORD, LA/FIG, LA/FIGSC,
, C/EUR, C/LA, CE/R, CE/R/XO,

PAGE 001

IN 6480597
TOR: 091712Z FEB 98 PARI 17502

CITE PARIS 17502
TO: IMMEDIATE DIRECTOR.

FOR: LIMITED DISSEM IMS/ESG INFO DO

CHIEF/LA, LA/FIG, LA/FIGSC, CIC/LA,
C/CE/R/XO

/IRO, CHIEF/EUR, DC/EUR,
EUR/SG, CIC/EUR, EUR/SGF,

==

TEXT:
COMBINE: COMPLETE

i. ACTION REQUIRED:

PLEASE ADVISE IF WE CAN BE OF FURTHER
ASSISTANCE.
2. THE FOLLOWING ane [STATION gesponsrs TO QUESTIONS POSED REF:

A ON IS UNDECLARED?

. ATEON | Q WOULD THIS DISCLOSURE LEAD TO
CLOSER EMBASSY SCRUTINY OF OTHERWISE IN

TERFERE WITH OPERATIONS?

WERE THE ARRB RELEASES TO PROVIDE SPECIFIC AND
CONCRETE USE BY BARTS STATION OF STATE COVED) THIS MIGHT CALL FOR
FURTHER RESTRICTIONS ON OPERATIONAL ACTIVITYES By OUR CONT LATER is
UNDECLARED OFFICERS UNDER STATE COVER BECAUSE OF THE FOLLOWING
FACTORS:

PRENCH_ INTELLIGENCE SERVICES ARE AWARE OF THE FACT
THAT WE HAVE USRD OPPICTAL COVER HERE AND WILL ACT WHENEVER THEY
BELIEVE THAT WE ARR USING SPE ICERS UNDER THAT COVER
HARMFUL TO FRENCH INTERESTS. WE TAKE PAINS TO ENSURE THAT THE FRENCH
DO NOT_SBE US_AS A THREAT 'TO THEM LOCALLY HOWEVER, OFFIGEAL
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF THIS COVER COULD WELL PROVIDE TO POLITICIANS on
JOURMA “S THE AMMUNITION WITH WHICH TO COMPELL AN INVESTIGATION OF
OUR _ ACTIVITIES HERE. ADDEES_WILL-RECALL LEAT THE 1995 PARTS "FLAP {
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(MHFNON_98-0480597 SENSIND: PAGE: 2
Sen

sen ee ep ee ee

IN WHICH SIX STATION OFFICERS WERE REMOVED FROM PARIS, WAS DRIVEN IN
LARGE MEASURE BY AN UNSCRUPULOUS POLITICIAN LOOKING FOR HEADLINES;

_J INTEGRATED STATE COVER OF QUR SMALL GROUP OF
UNILATERAL OFFICERS IS AMONG THE STATION'S MOST EFFECTIVE MEANS OF .
ACCESS TO NON-FRENCH TARGETS. OFFICIAL ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF OUR USE OF
OFFICIAL COVER IN PARIS COULD PROMPT THEM, OR THEIR RESPECTIVE
‘SECURITY OFFICERS,—TFO-REVIEW THETR AMERICAN -TARGETS-

B. OTHERWISE IS THE CIA UNDER PRESSURE FROM THE HOST GOVERNMENT
TO REDUCE PRESENCE, OR MORE FULLY DECLARE PRESENCE, OR UNDERTAKE NO
UNDECLARED ACTIVITIES? DESCRIBE PRESENCE. DESCRIBE THOSE ACTIVITIES
TO RESTRICT THE CIA (E.G. SERVICE TO SERVICE, LEGISLATIVE
INITIATIVES, OPPOSITION POLITICAL INITIATIVES, AND MEDIA

ACTIVITIES.)

TO DATE, THE FRENCH HAVE NOT DEMANDED THE IDENTITIES
OF ALL STATION PERSONNEL; HOWEVER, WE ARE CONCERNED ABOUT THIS
POSSIBILITY DUE TO OUR EXPECTATION THAT THE FRENCH MAY DECIDE TO
MIRROR ACTIONS OF OTHER EUROPEAN SERVICES WISHING TO RESTRICT CIA
PRESENCE IN THEIR RESPECTIVE COUNTRIES. ARRB DISCLOSURES WOULD SERVE
AS A POSSIBLE CATALYST FOR FORCING THIS ISSUE BETWEEN US AND THE
FRENCH .

C. DESCRIBE SOME PARTICULAR ACTIVITIES WHICH COULD BE
IMPERTLED?

UNILATERAL ACTIVITIES CARRIED OUT BY THE STATION'S
UNDECLARED OFFICERS, OUT-OF-COUNTRY CASE OFFICERS AND NOC‘S ARE
COMPARTMENTED AND CANNOT BE DISCUSSED IN THIS CHANNEL. WE DEFER TO
EUR/SG RE PROVISION OF SPECIFIC OPERATIONAL DETAILS.

D. ARE THERE NEW INITIATIVES WITH THE HOST GOVERNMENT AND
SERVICE WHICH COULD BE IMPERILED? DESCRIBE.

FORWARD MOVEMENT ON OUR JOINT WORK WITH THE FRENCH
SERVICES, MOST IMPORTANTLY IN COUNTERTERRORISM, WAS SLOWED IN THE
YEAR FOLLOWING THE 1995 DEMARCHE. OVER THE PAST TWO YEARS, WE HAVE
SEEN SIGNIFICANT PROGRESS IN THE WILLINGNESS OF THE FRENCH SERVICES
TO RESUME ACTIVE AND PRODUCTIVE LIAISON. OF PARTICULAR NOTE ARE OUR
CURRENT JOINT COUNTERTERRORISM INITIATIVES, (E.G., SUPPORT FROM THE
RENCH INTERNAL POLICE/INTELLIGENCE SERVICES, THE DST AND RG, OF
TC'S 17 NOVEMBER TASK FORCE THROUGH TECHNICAL AND PHYSICAL
URVEILLANCE OF 17N TARGETS LOCATED IN PARIS), AND AN IMPORTANT NEW
NITIATIVE WITH THE FRENCH EXTERNAL SERVICE, THE DGSE, TO WORK
OINTLY AGAINST RUSSIAN SVR INTELLIGENCE OFFICERS IN LOCATIONS WHERE
UR COMBINED RESOURCES WOULD BE MUTUALLY BENEFICIAL. QUESTIONS
RAISED IN THE PRESS OR WITHIN THESE SERVICES REGARDING THE
POSSIBILITY OF UNDECLARED UNILATERAL ACTIVITIES IN FRANCE WOULD PLACE
AT RISK THE CURRENT MOMENTUM WE HAVE WITH THE FRENCH SERVICES IN
THESE AREAS.

HNO")

OG

E. IS CIA PRESENCE INHERENTLY SENSITIVE BECAUSE OF HOSTILE
POPULATION ELEMENTS OR POLITICAL ACTIVITIES?

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SENST

ASPECT OF CIA PRESENCE IN FRANC
SERVICES, THE DISTINCTION THEY
OPERATIONS THAT TOUCH ON FRENCH
Noc’S, AND THOSE JOINT AREAS OF

WHEN THE FRENCH DISCOVER THE FO
{AND DIPLOMATIC ACTION TO CLOSE

F. IS THERE POSSIBILITY 0

OF SPIES" VICE A DIPLOMATIC PRO

FRENCH BELIEVE SERVE MUTUAL INT!

PRESS COVERAGE, IF UNSUBSTANTIAT
OUR SERVICE-TO-SERVICE OR GOVERNMENT -TO-GOVERNM

SECRET

ND:

E.

SUCH PRESS EXPLOITATION BY HOS
CONCRETE EXAMPLES OF PARIS STAT

(ro A POSSIBLE INCREASE OF FRENC

BELOW) .

INVESTIGATIVE MATERIAL (INCLUDI

OF SIX STATION OFFICERS.

COUNTER - ESPIONAGE CAPABILITIES.

SOMETHING WE WISH TO AVOID.

INCIDENTS IN-EHE-RECENT PAST.
HISTORICAL BACKGROUND=

TECHNICAL SURVEILLANCE AND PHOTOGRAP
BULWARKED THEIR CONTENTION THAT PARIS STATION WAS RUNNING UNILATERAL
OPERATIONS TARGETING FRENCH POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC INTERESTS BY

OFFICERS UNDER EMBASSY COVER AND NOC’S.
WAS EXTENSIVE AND HOSTILE. BY THE TIME THE FRENCH CONCLUDED THEIR
SERIES OF DEMARCHES, THEY HAD INDICATED THEIR DESIRE FOR THE RECALL

WE HAVE GONE TO GREAT LENGTHS TO
ACTIVITY IN FRANCE IS CARRIED OUT UNDER STRINGENT OPERATIONAL
GUIDELINES TO PROTECT SUCH ACTIVITIES AGAINST FRENCH
: WHILE WE VIEW THIS AS AN ONGOING
REQUIREMENT, ANY PRESS OR SERVICE APPREHENSION REGARDING OUR
PRESENCE, SUCH AS COULD RESULT FROM ARRB TYPE RELEASES,
US TO FURTHER RESTRICT OUR UNILATBRAL OPERATIONAL PARAMETERS - ~

ILE SERVIC

SECRET

F HOSTILE USE
TO DISCREDIT US EMBASSY AS A "NEST OF SPIES"

FOR THE FRENCH GOVERNMENT AND
HAVE DRAWN IS BETWEEN UNILATERAL
AREAS OF INTEREST AND SOVEREIGNTY, IN
OTHER WORDS, THE ACTIVITIES OF OFFICERS UNDER STATE COVER AND/OR
OPERATIONAL ENGAGEMENT WHICH THE
ERESTS. AS WE HAVE SEEN HISTORICALLY,
RMER, THEY TAKE QUICK INVESTIGATIVE
THESE OPERATIONS DOWN.

(E.G. RUSSIAN OR CUBAN)
OR SIMILAR?

THIS IS A POSSIBILITY, BUT WE WOULD EXPECT THAT ANY HOSTILE
EXPLOITATION WOULD BE SEEN IN PRESS PLACEMENT/PROPAGANDA RE A "NEST
TEST. WE WOULD NOT EXPECT THAT SUCH
TED, WOULD HAVE A NEGATIVE IMPACT ON
ENT RELATIONS. IF
ES DREW ON SPECIFIC AND
ION’S USE OF STATE COVER, IT COULD
NEGATIVELY IMPACT OUR ABILITY TO SUSTAIN SOME UNILATERAL ACTIVITY DUE
H SCRUTINY OF OUR OFFICERS (SEE

G. HAVE THERE BEEN PAST IMBROGLIOS OVER CIA PRESENCE OR
ACTIVITIES THAT THIS RELEASE COULD RESURRECT?

AS NOTED ABOVE, IN EARLY 1995 THE FRENCH GOV

ERNM

| TEE U.S. AMBASSADOR TO FRANCE OVER INCOMPATIBLE ACTIVITIES OF A
STATION NOC AND SEVERAL UNDECLARED OFFICERS. THE FRENCH REVEALED
NG THE RESULTS OF PHYSICAL AND

HY OF OUR OFFICERS) THAT

THE FRENCH PRESS COVERAGE

ENSURE THAT ANY/ALL UNILATERAL

NT DEMARCHED

COULD FORCE

H. HAVE OFFICIAL USG RELEASES SUCH AS FOIA EVER
LOCAL MEDIA (E.G., JAPAN AND CAMPAIGN FINANCING OR PERU AND FOTA
RELEASED CONCERNING VLADIMIRO MOTESINOS TORRES). REFERRED TO BY HOST
GOVERNMENT EITHER ON THE RECORD OR OFF THE RECORD.

CURRENT_STATION PERSONNEL HAVE NO RECOLLECTLON-OF—SUGH.
WE DEFER TO HOS FOR ANY ADDITIONAL

APPEARED IN THE


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47 FILE: NONE. DECL ON: X1; C
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